The Life Cycle Of Hair
To identify the difference between normal hair loss and that related to a thyroid condition, it’s important to understand the three phases of the hair life cycle. These include:
Verywell / Emily Roberts
- Anagen phase: This is the growth phase, meaning your hair is actively growing. The rate of growth and duration depends on the type of hair and where it’s located. At any given time, about 90% of the hair on your scalp is in the anagen phase.
- Catagen phase: Hair then enters this “transition phase” during which hair stops actively growing. This lasts about three weeks and involves less than 1% of the hairs on your scalp at a time.
- Telogen phase: During this last phase, a hair prepares to shed it is then pushed out of the follicle and falls out. Typically, about 50 and 150 telogen hairs are shed per day. These hairs are then replaced by new growth and the cycle begins again.
Thyroid-related hair loss and hair changes have some characteristic patterns, including:
- Diffuse hair loss/thinning across the whole scalp
- Hair loss that occurs in discrete areas of the scalp, resulting in smooth, circular bald patches
- Loss of body hair from areas other than your head: A unique and characteristic symptom of hypothyroidism is the loss of the hair on the outer edges of your eyebrows
- Changes in your hair’s texture: With hypothyroidism, your hair may become dry or coarse with hyperthyroidism, it can become extra soft and fine
Other Causes Of Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism can also result from thyroid nodules. These are lumps that develop inside the thyroid and sometimes begin producing thyroid hormones. Large lumps may create a noticeable goiter. Smaller lumps can be detected with ultrasound. A thyroid uptake and scan can tell if the lump is producing too much thyroid hormone.
The Basics Of Hair Loss
Hair loss can occur for a large variety of reasons. In men, the most common cause of hair loss is male pattern baldness a form of hormonal hair loss thats caused by a genetic sensitivity to the hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT.
This type of hair loss occurs when DHT gradually miniaturizes the hair follicles, stopping them from producing new hairs.
However, its also possible for your thyroid to contribute to hair loss by disrupting your bodys natural hair growth cycle.
As weve covered in our guide to the hair growth process, every single hair on your scalp goes through a four-stage growth process, with each stage corresponding to a different phase in the hairs development:
-
During the anagen phase, the hair grows from the follicle
-
During the catagen phase, the follicle shrinks and the hair detaches from your scalp
-
During the telogen phase, a new hair starts to grow underneath the old hair
-
During the exogen phase, the old hair falls out and is replaced by the new hair
As part of this process, old hairs that have reached the end of their growth cycle are constantly falling out from your scalp, causing you to lose about 50 to 100 hairs every day. Since your hair follicles dont all grow in sync, this daily loss doesnt have any impact on your appearance.
Understanding this simple process is key to understanding how thyroid disorders, as well as a range of other medical conditions, can affect your hair.
Also Check: Can Thyroid Disease Cause Hot Flashes
Q: Could My Thyroid Condition Be Causing My Hair Loss
A: Yes, it could. A lot of people with thyroid dysfunction shed hair.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy
Common thyroid conditions such as Hashimotos thyroiditis and Graves disease are autoimmune disorders, which can sometimes result in hair loss.
The hair loss is typically reversed after your thyroid hormone levels are normalized. But this may take some time.
Its important to point out that hair loss may not just be caused by your thyroid, however.
Having one autoimmune disorder also increases your risk for having others, some of which produce hair loss:
- Celiac disease can be associated with iron deficiency, which triggers hair loss.
- Alopecia areata, a skin condition, causes hair to fall out, typically leaving round spots without hair.
And for women, menopause creates a low estrogen state that can thin the hair follicles, giving the appearance of overall hair loss.
If youre shedding hair, I would definitely tell your physician, who can determine the reason. Doctors can sometimes prescribe treatments to minimize or reverse hair loss.
How To Prevent Thyroid Hair Loss
Thyroid hair loss always comes as a result of underlying thyroid complications. To prevent hair loss due to thyroid issues, you should do everything possible to ensure you dont get hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
This includes getting adequate sleep and going for thyroid tests . If you do get a thyroid disorder, then take these extra measures to ensure that it doesnt result in hair loss:
- Eat food with enough protein. Protein is the building block for hair. Eating protein-rich foods will produce strong, healthy hair.
- Increase your iron intake. Low iron intake can cause low ferritin levels. Keep your iron levels on the high side, especially if you have thyroid issues.
- Take multivitamin supplements, especially biotin. Several vitamins like vitamins A, B, C, and E play vital roles in hair growth. In particular, biotin increases the rate of hair follicle growth. Other supplements like copper and zinc are also vital for healthy hair.
- Reduce your stress level. Besides irregular sleep, increased stress levels can lead to unbalanced body hormones, affecting your hair.
- Take your thyroid medications as prescribed.
Read Also: Stage 2 Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Chemotherapy Or Targeted Therapy As Part Of Your Treatment Plan
At this time, the use of other systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapy for the treatment of thyroid cancer is determined on an individual basis and is most often given as part of a clinical trial. See the Latest Research section for more information.
Learn more about the basics of preparing for treatment. The medications used to treat cancer are continually being evaluated. Talking with your doctor is often the best way to learn about the medications prescribed for you, their purpose, and their potential side effects or interactions with other medications. Learn more about your prescriptions by using searchable drug databases.
Common Symptoms Of Hyperthyroidism:
- Mood changes, anxiety, restlessness, issues with sleeping
- Pain and swelling in the throat , muscle weakness, menstruation disturbances
Hypothyroidism, the underactive thyroid disease, occurs when the thyroid does not produce enough hormones. Hair loss and thinning hair is a symptom of long-term hypothyroidism. Prolonged hypothyroidism is more common in women than men and is often diagnosed in middle age and later age groups, though it can occur at any age.
You May Like: Where Can I Get Tested For Thyroid Problems
There Are Root Causes Behind Thyroid Hair Loss
Thankfully, after a long journey to restore my thyroid function, my hair returned to being as full and healthy as ever. However, when I first meet with thyroid patients, they are oftentimes struggling with thyroid hair loss even while being treated for their thyroid dysfunction.
As with many health issues, this is often because conventional medicine doctors fail to identify and address the root cause of thyroid symptoms. I discuss all of these environmental root causes in my book, The Thyroid Connection.
In this article, Ill share ten tips for addressing the root causes of thyroid hair loss and getting your hair back to being full, shiny, and healthy!
How Common Is It To Experience Hair Loss From Thyroid Medication
It’s fairly common to see some hair loss due to thyroid medication. Usually, this is due to overmedication, which leads to hyperthyroidism, because hair loss is a symptom of both low and high levels of thyroid hormone. In most people, this is a short-lived side effect that occurs in the first month of treatment.
Also Check: How To Balance Thyroid Hormones
Thyroid And Hair Loss
Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland located in the lower front of your neck. Your thyroidâs job is to make thyroid hormones, which are secreted into your bloodstream and carried to every tissue in your body, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
According to the British Thyroid Foundation, prolonged hypothyroidism can cause hair loss. Abnormal thyroid function disturbs your hair regrowth cycle. Thyroid-related hair loss involves your entire scalp rather than specific patches of hair loss. Your hair will appear thin and sparse all over. Hair regrowth is possible once treatment is given and hormone levels are normalized.
Since Hashimotoâs thyroiditis is an autoimmune disorder that can affect your entire body, many of its symptoms can be difficult to reverse.
âA recent study showed that the most common persistent symptom of Hashimotoâs thyroiditis was hair loss,â Alexander Lightstone Borsand, MD, ABLM, board-certified lifestyle medicine physician in Scottsdale, Ariz., tells WebMD Connect to Care.
Since there is a strong association between Hashimotoâs, alopecia areata and celiac disease, a gluten-free, probiotic-enhanced, iron-rich diet may help promote hair regrowth in some Hashimotoâs patients.
If you have Hashimotoâs, there are other steps you can take to promote hair regrowth and potentially prevent further hair loss.
Physical Emotional And Social Effects Of Cancer
Thyroid cancer and its treatment cause physical symptoms and side effects, as well as emotional, social, and financial effects. Managing all of these effects is called palliative care or supportive care. It is an important part of your care that is included along with treatments intended to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer.
Palliative care focuses on improving how you feel during treatment by managing symptoms and supporting patients and their families with other, non-medical needs. Any person, regardless of age or type and stage of cancer, may receive this type of care. And it often works best when it is started right after a cancer diagnosis. People who receive palliative care along with treatment for the cancer often have less severe symptoms, better quality of life, and report that they are more satisfied with treatment.
Palliative treatments vary widely and often include medication, nutritional changes, relaxation techniques, emotional and spiritual support, and other therapies. You may also receive palliative treatments similar to those meant to get rid of the cancer, such as chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy.
Learn more about the importance of tracking side effects in another part of this guide. Learn more about palliative care in a separate section of this website.
Read Also: Symptoms Thyroid Problems In Dogs
Thyroid Cancer: What Women Should Know
The symptoms start slowly. Fatigue is the most common. There might bechanges in hair, nails or skin, and other vague complaints that could becaused by aging, diet, stress or dozens of other factors.
Women in the prime of their lives, busy with work and families, may noteven notice. When a doctor finally diagnoses an underactivethyroiddue to cancer, it often comes as a shock.
Jonathon Russell, M.D., assistant professor ofOtolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeryat The Johns Hopkins Hospital, says, Typicalthyroid cancerpatients are women between the ages of 30 and 60younger than many peoplewould think. Theyre likely to put off getting seen by a doctor and mayblame their symptoms on other causes.
Ways To Care For Your Hair When It Grows Back
- Be gentle. When your hair starts to grow back, you will want to be gentle with it. Avoid too much brushing, curling, and blow-drying. You may not want to wash your hair as frequently.
- After chemotherapy. Hair often grows back in 2 to 3 months after treatment has ended. Your hair will be very fine when it starts to grow back. Sometimes your new hair can be curlier or straighteror even a different color. In time, it may go back to how it was before treatment.
- After radiation therapy. Hair often grows back in 3 to 6 months after treatment has ended. If you received a very high dose of radiation your hair may grow back thinner or not at all on the part of your body that received radiation.
Also Check: Foods That Are Good For Your Thyroid Function
How To Cope With Side Effects Of Thyroid Cancer Treatment
Keep in mind that every patients experience is unique. With that said, here are some common thyroid cancer treatments, their potential side effects and some ways in which those side effects can be managed:
If youd like to learn more about managing the side effects of thyroid cancer treatments, you can speak with an oncologist in the Thyroid Clinic at Moffitt Cancer Center with or without a referral. To request an appointment, call or complete a new patient registration form online.
Causes Of Thyroid Hair Loss
Thyroid hair loss is caused by prolonged, untreated hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a medical condition in which the thyroid gland produces insufficient hormones.
On the other hand, hyperthyroidism is the excess production of thyroid hormones. These two conditions can trigger an autoimmune thyroid disease and further escalate into other autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata.
You May Like: Thyroid Cancer Percentage Of Survival
Treating Thyroid Disease And Hair Loss
The good news is that once you get your thyroid disease diagnosed and the right treatment is prescribed to regulate thyroid hormone levels, the hair loss problem should resolve itself. Healthy hormone levels mean healthy hair growth.
It may take some time to find the right dosage of thyroid hormone to get your thyroid under control. If you’re uncomfortable with the look of your hair while treatment is underway, there are options to consider. Wearing a hair piece or wig or getting a new hairstyle can help camouflage hair loss as you wait for the results of thyroid treatment to begin. Ask your doctor if it makes sense to try a topical medication that helps spur hair growth like mixoxidil .
Thyroid disease affects many body functions besides hair growth, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you suspect that a thyroid problem could be the cause of your hair loss. Treatment will improve how you feel as well as how you look.
Other Causes Of Hypothyroidism
In some cases, hypothyroidism results from a problem with the pituitary gland, which is at the base of the brain. This gland produces thyroid-stimulating hormone , which tells the thyroid to do its job. If your pituitary gland does not produce enough TSH, levels of thyroid hormones will fall. Other causes of hypothyroidism include temporary inflammation of the thyroid or medications that affect thyroid function.
Recommended Reading: Thyroid Eye Disease: Natural Treatment
When To See A Doctor
If you think you might have any of these health conditions, or youre worried about hair loss, see a doctor. They can find out whats causing you to lose your hair and recommend the best treatment.
In some cases, lifestyle changes including using kinder shampoos, brushes and styling techniques will help keep your hair looking and feeling as healthy as possible.
Underlying health conditions arent the only possible reasons for hair loss read about other
Healthily is committed to producing high-quality, evidence-based, functional consumer health and care information. To support this, we apply the principles and quality statements of The Information Standard fully to ensure that our process for producing information follows best practice.
Our website services, content and products provide useful information. Healthily does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Links to third party sites, products and services do not constitute endorsement.
Healthily is committed to producing high-quality, evidence-based, functional consumer health and care information. To support this, we apply the principles and quality statements of The Information Standard fully to ensure that our process for producing information follows best practice.
Thyroid And Hair Loss: Reasons Remedies And More
All of us experience some degree of hair loss. In fact, it happens to all of us each day. Usually, we all lose 50 to 100 strands a day but hair loss is different if you have an inflamed thyroid gland. Yes, thyroid conditions cause hair loss if left unchecked.
A lot of people dont know about the connection between thyroid and hair loss. In this blog, Lordhair will tell you everything about thyroid hair fall and damage. From meaning to reasons and symptoms to remedies, we will cover all important aspects.
Lets understand the meaning of thyroid first!
Dont Miss: How To Stop Hair Loss Home Remedies
You May Like: Thyroid Diet Plan For Weight Loss
Balance Your Blood Sugar
Eating lots of carbohydrates and not enough quality proteins and healthy fats can send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster. These dramatic swings in blood sugar encourage your body to convert more T4 to Reverse T3, an inactive form of thyroid hormone. This slows down all of your metabolic processes and can cause thyroid hair loss.
To avoid this, I recommend starting off your day with a high-protein breakfast, whether thats a protein-packed smoothie or a dish such as Beef and Veggie Breakfast Scramble, and pairing your starchy vegetables throughout the day with grass-fed, pasture-raised meat and high-quality fats, such as avocados and coconut oil.
Receiving A Blood Test
If we believe that a thyroid problem is causing you to experience physical problems or other symptoms, we will probably advise you to receive a blood test. It will only take us a couple of minutes to take a small sample of your blood, and you will feel very relaxed during your blood draw. We will use this sample to analyze your antibodies and hormones.
Also Check: Does Fish Oil Help With Hair Loss
Recommended Reading: Malignant Tumor Of Thyroid Gland